This invention relates to mechanically scanned ultrasonic probe. The invention is particularly useful for dental applications.
A mechanically scanned ultrasonic diagnostic probe for use in dental clinics is shown and described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication 58-185139 (published Oct. 28, 1983). This ultrasonic probe includes a mechanism by which an ultrasonic transducer is arranged to swing about a drive shaft to steer the acoustic beam in a sector plane. However, it is desired to examine different portions of a patient's teeth at different angles to obtain as much data as possible. This requires that the probe be manually moved with precision. Because of the limitations on the range of angles in which the probe can be oriented and on the space available, difficulties have been encountered to manually control the position of the probe. It is further desirable that the size of the probe be as small as possible to permit it to reach the deeper area of the patient's teeth.